Board asks administration for February draft of transfer policy after public input

The West Lafayette Com School Corp asked administrators to produce a draft transfer policy for first reading in February and to post supporting materials and a frequently asked questions document after a work session focused on community input and capacity issues.

After educational consultant Sherry Switzer outlined results from two in-person forums and two virtual sessions, trustees asked administration to combine the consultant27s qualitative findings, the district27s enrollment data and survey results into a draft policy packet. The board agreed the packet should include proposed grade-level capacity targets, a transparent prioritization order for transfers (for example, staff children and siblings), and administrative guidelines for operational details such as lottery mechanics if demand exceeds capacity.

Trustees asked the administration to work with the policy committee and the district27s attorney and to return a first-reading document at the board27s February meeting, with a possible second reading and vote in March. Administrators committed to posting the draft policy and a publicly accessible FAQ so community members can review language and submit written comments before the first reading.

The board did not take a vote on policy at the work session; instead members requested more precise fiscal modeling and up-to-date, grade-by-grade capacity and class-size data to inform a final decision. The administration also agreed to identify which staff positions would qualify for staff-priority transfer language under the draft policy.